witchcraft history end of years y8

What did people believe witches could do?

Curse people, fly, kill livestock, call storms, make pacts with the Devil

Why did belief in witchcraft grow?

Fear of the Devil, religious tension, crop failure, disease

Who were most often accused of being witches?

Older, single, poor women (often vulnerable or disliked)

What were 'witchfinders'?

People paid to identify witches; most famous was Matthew Hopkins

Who was Matthew Hopkins?

'Witchfinder General'; responsible for over 100 executions (1640s)

What were common witch tests?

Swimming test, searching for 'witch marks', forced confessions

What happened to those found guilty?

Execution, usually by hanging in England

What was the Pendle Witch Trials?

Famous 1612 trial in Lancashire where 10 people were executed for witchcraft

What led to the Pendle trials?

Accusations between two local families and social tensions

How did belief in witchcraft decline?

Rise of science, better education, Enlightenment thinking

What role did religion play in witch trials?

Puritanism and fear of heresy encouraged belief in the Devil

What was the impact of witch hunts?

Hundreds executed, caused fear, showed dangers of superstition